Hundreds of users report mysterious vertical lines on smartphone screens after firmware update

SINGAPORE – Phone repair stores have been flooded with hundreds of customer queries in recent months about mysterious vertical green, white or pink lines on phone screens in models as recent as those launched in 2022.

Some customers said the seemingly permanent lines appeared after a software update, while others told repair shops that their screen began to glitch after they dropped their device.

Most queries were for devices made from 2020 onwards, including phones from Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus and Apple.

“It has been a growing trend since curved screens and more advanced screens became more common in phones,” said repair shop Mister Mobile’s founder Alan Tan, 34.

There are seven Mister Mobile outlets here repairing some 5,000 electronic devices monthly, and Mr Tan said he has received at least 200 of such queries in the first two weeks of November alone.

The problem typically boils down to faulty connection points that link a screen to a motherboard, said Mr Tan, whose team examined the faulty circuits under a microscope to understand the issue.

Modern phones today have more linkages than before to support bigger panels, higher refresh rates for a smoother scrolling screen, or even curved panels. The more connection points in a compact chassis, the higher the chance that one can be dislodged or torn over time, said Mr Tan.

Software updates can likewise result in screen glitches if they require the phone to tap previously unused linkage points that happen to be damaged, he said.

“Six or seven years ago, screens weren’t so complicated,” he added. “So we are seeing the results of those years of new screens today.”

Between January 2022 and Nov 15, 2023, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) has received 12 complaints about green, white or pink lines appearing across users’ screens after they updated the phone’s software, Case president Melvin Yong told The Straits Times.

“In most cases, affected consumers sought free repair or replacement from the manufacturer or its agent but their requests were declined on the basis that the mobile phones’ warranties had expired,” said Mr Yong.

In two instances, Case had stepped in on behalf of the complainant to negotiate with the phone’s seller to resolve the dispute, he said, adding that consumers who encounter such issues can approach Case for help.

Besides the phone’s manufacturer, repair shops can also replace the faulty panel for anywhere up to $300 or so depending on the model, but most do not own the equipment to weld breakages in the panel’s circuitry.

Lite Mobile co-founder Desmond Goi, who runs seven outlets here, said: “We can only change the screen. In some countries, you can fix the ribbon within the circuit, but you need the equipment to do it.”

He added: “But even that is not a 100 per cent success rate.”

Up to 50 customers come to his shops with vertical line glitches each month, said the 30-year-old. Most turned in Samsung devices, which is unsurprising given their large market share, but his technicians have seen other brands with glitchy screens too, caused by drops or software updates.

Mobile Life director Jason Yang, 47, said reports of vertical glitches started to increase a year ago, with up to 20 queries each month. Many of his customers faced the problem after a software update.

Some users with glitchy phones told ST that the lines appeared on their devices in 2023, and they were deterred from fixing the problem due to the price.

Mr Sam Ho, 31, said two bright green lines had appeared on his two-year-old Samsung S20+ from September, and his device had not been dropped.

The engineer said: “Some shops can change the screen for $300, but it’s expensive... I might just change my phone soon.”

OnePlus 8T user Sophia Huang, 27, noticed that a line appeared on her phone shortly after installing a software update in August.

Ms Huang, who works in advertising, said: “One morning I woke up and then the line was there. If I had dropped it, I’d understand, but I don’t think it’s something I did.”

Online forums were rife with similar complaints from other users, she said, adding that she had hoped a subsequent software update would fix the issue.

“It’s too expensive to fix it at this point, but I probably won’t use this phone for too long,” she said. “I barely notice it any more.”

In reply to ST queries, a OnePlus spokesman said: “We deeply understand the inconvenience caused to the affected users by this issue, and we sincerely apologise for it.”

OnePlus and Samsung spokesmen advised users who encounter vertical line symptoms to visit the nearest authorised service centre for checks. 

ST has also contacted Oppo and Apple for comment.